Physicist John Schwarz speaks out in support of marijuana reclassification, and for prioritizing science over politics

Taking
his first public political stance, John Schwarz, co-founder of
'Superstring Theory' and a Theoretical Physics professor at California
Institute of Technology, published a commentary piece Thursday in the Huffington Post,
urging the federal government to put aside the politics surrounding
medical marijuana and pay attention to the abundance of scientific
evidence. Schwarz has also invited his fellow scientists to join him in
co-signing an open letter to President Obama at ScienceInPolicy.com,
calling on him to uphold his promises to put science before politics.

Schwarz pointed to President Obama's emphasis on what he called
"free and open scientific inquiry," and asked "Why hasn't the
long-running controversy over medical marijuana been resolved using
science?" In 2009, as one of the hallmark actions of his administration,
Obama issued a memorandum to all executive departments and agencies,
explaining that "Science and the scientific process must inform and
guide decisions of my Administration on a wide range of issues,
including improvement of public health..."

Recognizing
that Obama "has improved the role of science in the decision-making
process in many areas of government," Schwarz wrote that the
Administration "is ignoring scientists' voices on medical marijuana
policy." Schwarz admits that a Romney Administration would "probably
undo" what progress Obama has made in improving the role of science in
policy decisions, but Schwarz laments that "the federal government
ignores scientific facts accepted around the globe - not to mention the
will of the American people - to cling to outdated ideological policies
and restrict marijuana research."

President
Obama's March 2009 memorandum was followed up with another "Scientific
Integrity" memorandum, issued on December 17, 2010 by John P. Holdren,
the White House Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The memorandum stated that, "Successful application of science in
public policy depends on the integrity of the scientific process both to
ensure the validity of the information itself and to engender public
trust in Government."

The memorandum directed
government agencies to: "1. Ensure a culture of scientific integrity; 2.
Strengthen the actual and perceived credibility of Government research;
3. Facilitate the free flow of scientific and technological
information;" and "4. Establish principles for conveying scientific and
technological information to the public."

These
tenets were subsequently adopted by numerous federal departments and
agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
which is responsible for reviewing the scientific evidence on medical
marijuana.

Instead of adhering to these
principles, however, the Obama Administration has blocked research into
the therapeutic benefits of marijuana and upheld the federal
government's standing position that marijuana should remain a Schedule I
substance. Unique and prohibitively high standards in the U.S.,
required of no other Schedule I substance, has severely hindered medical
marijuana research compared to other countries around the world.

The
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the gatekeeper for the
supply of research-grade marijuana and has a bias for studies that
investigate the supposed negative effects of marijuana. Scientists
trying to study medical marijuana claim that NIDA and other federal
agencies have rigged the research application process.

The
Schwarz op-ed and open letter for scientists comes as the federal
government is being sued over its current classification of marijuana as
a dangerous drug with no medical value. Earlier this month, the U.S.
Court of Appeal for the D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments in Americans for Safe Access v. Drug Enforcement Administration,
a case that is asking the court -- based on overwhelming scientific
evidence -- to order the federal government to reclassify marijuana for
medical use, in either Schedule III, IV or V.

Highly Recommended

Primarily through word-of-mouth alone, GreenZipp has become the company people trust to help start and run their legal marijuana businesses. For the last 4 years, people have been using GreenZipp because it's famously easy, straight forward, with no hidden costs. Combine that with our best-in-the-biz customer service, and you've got a unique and delightful offering of products and services.

A Track Record You Can Trust

We've been in business for 5 years, so you can depend on us to alleviate the anxieties and pressures of starting and running your business. Not once, has a single customer ever been in trouble with the law - ever. We're extremely proud of that number. Our job is to keep you safe and compliant with regulations and allow you to run your company without fear or anxiety. We've gone and will continue to go to the ends of the earth for our customers. Learn more about our company.

No Lawyer Required

Many customers come to us saying that they've been told they need a lawyer to start their businesses. Sure, you can definitely use them, but you don't need them. Heck, you can even do it yourself if you don't mind putting in the time and making some costly mistakes from time to time. We take the complicated, confusing and time-consuming process of starting or running your marijuana business and boil it down to plain, detailed and easy-to-follow steps. Or, we can just do the whole process for you.

Here's the best part: We're so effective, lawyers and law firms hire us to service their marijuana industry clients for them.

Can I See How Past Customers Liked You?

Absolutely. You can see how our customers feel about us via an independently certified, 3rd party review website. We're extremely proud of our 5 out of 5 Star rating.

Free Starter Package

We offer a free Starter Package to help people understand the industry and us a little better. Check it out.

Who Else Uses GreenZipp?

New business owners, seasoned entrepreneurs, investment groups and law firms all rely on GreenZipp. We've been fortunate to earn the repeat business of our customers, including some of the top lawyers and law firms in the country.

A Few Quick Reads & Links

There's a lot of (mis)information out there. At best, it's usually speculation from non-professionals, old wive's tales or completely fabricated. It can be tough to navigate. With that in mind, here are a few things we've prepared for you:

GreenZipp is a medical & recreational marijuana consulting firm that's helped thousands of customers establish and run their marijuana businesses in all legal states since 2010. With industry-leading, streamlined and cost-effective products and services that abolish hourly & hidden fees, we'll be sure to make you happy.